ARC Raiders has become a significant component of Nexon's business, generating 18.3 billion yen in revenue in the second quarter of 2026, accounting for approximately 15% of the company's total revenue for the quarter.
Nexon reported second-quarter revenue of 121.1 billion yen, a 2% year-over-year increase on a reported basis. However, operating profit fell 17% year-over-year to 31.3 billion yen, which the company attributed to increased user acquisition, creator, cloud service, and software costs associated with the expansion of global live service operations.
The revenue figures for ARC Raiders come as the shooter continues to grow post-launch. The game has now surpassed 16.3 million copies sold globally, with cumulative revenue exceeding 88 billion yen, and an additional 800,000 copies sold in the second quarter.
Nexon increasingly views ARC Raiders as an example of how to build successful franchises in Western markets. The company is preparing "Frozen Trail," described as the game's largest content update to date, scheduled for release in October.
The shooter is also currently undergoing testing in the Chinese market, with recent closed beta registrations conducted by Tencent exceeding expectations. Nexon is seeking to further solidify the game's market performance while expanding its portfolio beyond mature franchises.
MapleStory remains another major source of growth for Nexon. Revenue for the franchise reached record quarterly levels after a 63% year-over-year increase, with MapleStory World growing by 123%. Nexon expects the broader MapleStory franchise to grow by approximately 40% in the third quarter.
Meanwhile, Dungeon & Fighter recorded a 44% year-over-year decline in revenue in the second quarter, with further declines expected in the third quarter.
Consequently, Nexon has higher expectations for upcoming releases, including Arad: Idle RPG, Dave the Diver Mobile, Granblue Fantasy: Relink, and TEMPPAL: OVERGEARED in 2026. Projects scheduled for 2027 and beyond include Dungeon & Fighter Classic, Dungeon & Fighter: ARAD, Project OVERKILL, and NAKWON: LAST PARADISE.
The company held 842 billion yen in cash at the end of the second quarter and plans to distribute approximately 324 billion yen (about $2 billion) to shareholders through a special dividend. Nexon stated that its cash reserves are sufficient to support planned investments and growth.
These results indicate that as revenue from some legacy franchises declines, Nexon is increasingly relying on MapleStory and ARC Raiders to drive growth. The significance of ARC Raiders is particularly notable, as its performance provides Nexon with a Western-market-centric model that the company hopes to replicate with future titles.